MARKING its 10th year anniversary, a florist has made a small but significant step closer to Hexham’s town centre.

Dillies was opened on Market Street a decade ago by Jo and Andrew Foster, offering flowers, handcrafted chocolates and wine.

Now the couple have moved into a premises on the same side of the same street – just 50 yards closer to Hexham’s historic Market Place.

“We haven’t moved far, but we’ve done it for several reasons,” said Mrs Foster. “A lot of people didn’t realise we were there previously because they would walk so far along Market Street, and think there were no more shops around the corner.

“We’re now on the beaten track, alongside the other shops, and business has definitely increased since we moved here.”

Mrs Foster was keen to get the message across that Dillies was a specialist florist, which provided a service for weddings, funerals, and other special occasions, as well as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas, and other key dates on the calendar. She explained: “It may have been due to our previous location, but a lot of people thought there wasn’t a florist in Hexham after Watsonia closed on Cattle Market.

“It might also have been because we don’t just offer flowers. But we want everyone to know we are here and we are in the town centre.”

The bright new premises provides customers with an appetising view of the extensive range of delicious chocolates at Dillies.

“It’s flowers, chocolates and wines at Dillies,” said Mrs Foster. “That’s what we do, and we’ve had lots of positive feedback about the new premises.”

Interestingly, the couple have retained the old premises, which will become Hexham School of Floristry.

Mrs Foster was looking forward to putting on classes to teach people how to make everything from bouquets and wreaths, to the preparation of wedding flowers. “It’s a fun thing to do and you come out of it with a new skill,” she said.